In The Problem with Dating, Brittany Cherry delivered a small town romance chock-full of emotions. Heart-warming, sweet and funny, The Problem with featured a grumpy hero and the woman who gave him a reason to smile again.
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Title: The Problem with Dating
Author(s): Brittainy C. Cherry
Published by Self Published on October 12, 2023
Pages: 385
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Source: Publicist
Format: eArc 
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
If I had to choose a person to hate, Alex Ramírez would’ve been first on the list…
Welcome to Honey Creek, Illinois, where life was as sweet as the town’s name suggested. That was, until Mr. Fine Dining himself, Alex Ramírez, rolled into town with a permanent scowl. Even worse, he decided to park his snooty five-star restaurant across from my cozy dog daycare. He was tall, dark, and about as warm as a frozen entrée.
After one too many unpleasant interactions, I was determined to stay out of his way and to keep him out of mine.
But fate had a quirky sense of humor. When Alex inherited his great-aunt’s cranky canine, he had no choice but to come to me, the local dog whisperer, for help. As for me? I needed a fake boyfriend to ward off my ex-husband, who was determined to win me back.
So, we struck a deal: I’d turn his dog into the town's best-behaved pet, and in return, he’d be my arm candy for a few family events and social gatherings. Simple, uncomplicated, and absolutely not romantic—at least, that was what we told ourselves.
As we played house, I couldn't help but notice that underneath Alex’s prickly shell was a dash of charm that wasn't listed in the ingredients. Our pretend dates started to feel a little too real. And our feigned kisses? They were getting laughably close to crossing the line. Suddenly, our interactions felt less like a food fight and more like foreplay.
With every playful touch and lingering glance, I couldn't help but wonder: Was this fake relationship with Alex secretly penning its own authentic ending? Or was I risking it all for someone who was nothing more than make-believe?
Set in Honey Creek, Illinois, The Problem with Dating tells the story of Alex Ramirez and Yara Kingsley. The story began one year after Yara’s divorce from her douche of a husband, who is also the chief of police. He abuses his power in several ways, one of which involves humiliating Yara every chance he got. Alex came to Honey Creek to open a new restaurant to satisfy his late great aunt wish. However, his reception by the residents was not welcoming, and his grumpy and seemingly bad attitude did not help his cause.
Now, Yara was the complete opposite of Alex. It was great to see that her ex-husband’s actions did not break her, and she maintained her sunny disposition. She gets along with everyone, however, Alex was the exception. She made every effort to make him feel welcome, but to no avail.
Her every attempt led to them arguing. She realises that pursuing a friendship was a waste of time. However, after yet another attempt by her ex-husband to humiliate her, a shift occurred in their interactions. A shift which led to them moving from antagonists to friends and eventually lovers.
The fake dating trope is one of my favourites, and Cherry did a wonderful job with it. Yes, the grumpy hero agrees to fake date the sunny heroine, and throughout the course of their fake romance he realised what he felt for Yara was authentic. The banter between them from their initial interaction will have readers laughing out loud. These two were such a riot. They were clearly perfect for each other.
Despite his grumpy persona, Alex is one of those heroes readers will fall in love with. His painful backstory will have you wanting to hug him and give him words of encouragement. While I don’t mind Yara’s sunny nature, I didn’t like how much of a pushover she was, especially in running her business.
The ending was perfect, and the epilogue left me smiling. I had a great time with The Problem with Dating and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
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About Brittainy C. Cherry
Amazon #1 Bestselling author, Brittainy Cherry has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. She loves to take part in writing screenplays, acting, and dancing–poorly of course. Coffee, chai tea, and wine are three things that she thinks every person should partake in! Brittainy lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her family. When she’s not running a million errands and crafting stories, she’s probably playing with her adorable pets.
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